Question

A nurse's assessment reveals that a client with COPD may be experiencing bronchospasm. What assessment finding would suggest that the patient is experiencing bronchospasm?

A) Fine or coarse crackles on auscultation
B) Wheezes or diminished breath sounds on auscultation
C) Reduced respiratory rate or lethargy
D) Slow, deliberate respirations

Answer 1

Bronchospasm in a client with COPD may be suggested by symptoms like wheezing, shortness of breath, and rapid shallow breathing. Low oxygen saturation on a pulse oximeter and airflow limitation on spirometry can provide objective evidence of bronchospasm.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse may suspect that a client with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is experiencing a bronchospasm if certain symptoms are present during a physical assessment. Indicators of bronchospasm could include wheezing, characterized by a high-pitched whistling sound, particularly when exhaling; difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath; and possibly a noticeable rapid and shallow breathing pattern that might feel tight or constricted, rather than slow and deliberate respirations. In severe cases, there may be a use of accessory muscles around the neck and chest to breathe, signifying a struggle to maintain adequate ventilation.

Assessment tools such as a pulse oximeter may show low oxygen saturation levels, supporting the suspicion of bronchospasm due to impaired gas exchange. Spirometry, which measures the rate and volume of air inhalation and exhalation, can give an objective indication of airflow limitation, a key feature of bronchospasm. It is worth noting that bronchospasms are not exclusive to COPD and can be a feature of asthma and other respiratory conditions.